Best Photo Size for a CV or Resume
400-600px square, under 1MB, roughly 35×45mm if printed — and a note on whether you should include one at all, since the answer depends on where you're applying.
A CV photo works best around 400-600px square (or the standard 35×45mm/413×531px at 300 DPI if the CV will be printed), saved as JPG, kept under 1MB — small enough not to bloat the document, sharp enough to look professional at the size it'll actually display.
Should you even include one?
This depends heavily on where you're applying. In the US and UK, a photo is often discouraged or even flagged as a bias risk by hiring processes — leaving it off is usually the safer default. In Morocco, France, and much of continental Europe, a professional headshot is commonly expected on a CV, and its absence can look unfinished. If you're unsure, match what's standard for the country and industry you're applying to, not your own preference.
Getting the size right
- Crop to a square or the 35×45mm ratio with a crop tool — a plain background and professional, front-facing framing matters more here than for a casual profile picture
- Resize to roughly 400-600px if it's going into a digital document, or the full 413×531px if it'll be printed:
- Compress if the file is still large — a CV photo doesn't need to be more than a few hundred KB:
What makes a CV photo look professional
- Plain, uncluttered background — not a busy room or outdoor scene
- Good, even lighting on your face, no harsh shadows
- Business-appropriate attire, consistent with the industry you're applying to
- A neutral or lightly warm expression — this isn't a passport photo, a slight smile generally reads better
A common mistake
Cropping a photo from a group picture or casual outing rather than taking a dedicated headshot is usually obvious to a reviewer — the background, lighting, and framing rarely match what a deliberately-taken photo looks like, even after cropping.
Everything runs in your browser — your photo is never uploaded anywhere during cropping or resizing.